Resources

ChatGPT

I’m sure you’ve heard of the innovative ways ChatGPT has been applied to revolutionize various industries and how it can likely support your business. ChatGPT can be an extremely useful tool in that it can explain complicated processes in a digestable, easy to understand fashion and can thoroughly respond to follow-up questions.

While I believe it is better suited for supporting your marketing efforts than for actual concrete advice, it can still be a great resource for asking questions such as an explanation of a process and the like.

Google’s Gemini

Google’s GPT-trained “Gemini” is another extremely useful tool. From my experience, Gemini appears to be trained on a different dataset which is likely far more expansive than ChatGPT’s. That could make it a more useful asset to your needs.

Take your pick! Try them both. Ask them anything from how to write a persuasive letter to business or legal questions. As a disclaimer, I would not recommend taking legal advice from any automated tool, but they can be useful for getting a better understanding of a legal process!

PATENT LAW RESOURCES

Everything you need to know about patents
This simple and informative website is used by patent lawyers across the country to stay up-to-date on the latest news and trends in the industry. They also have an in depth and easy to understand explanation of the patent system written for non-lawyer inventors. In particular, I’d recommend the following articles:

• Do You Need a Patent?
• An Overview of the U.S. Patent Process
• Keep Your Money In Your Wallet Until Proof of Concept
• Sell Your Ideas With or Without a Patent

The USPTO offers a plethora of free resources to inventors and entrepreneurs.

The Inventors Assistance Center contains all the resources you might need with regards to the patent process, including information on the necessary forms, formats, and fees for each step along within the patenting process.

The Patent Basics page provides a great outline of everything you may need to know about the U.S. and international patenting process, as well as the rights included in a patent and the requirements for applying and maintaining those rights.

Their Startup Resources directory goes beyond the patent rights and includes tons of practical information for startups and young businesses of any type.

PATENT SEARCH TOOLS – SEE WHAT’S OUT THERE

Google Patents
Google offers a decent search tool for browsing through published US and International patent publications including applications and issued patents. While Google may remain the king when it comes to searching the web, I must say that their patent search algorithm is not as thorough. While I generally only use it when I know the Patent No. for what I’m looking for, its still a good resource for getting an idea as to what might already be out there.

USPTO Public Search
The United States Patent and Trademark Office Public Search tool offers access to their database for searching published patents and applications. Their search tool offers the most up-to-date results, which can be essential when working in a field with constant innovation. Patents are classified according to a unique classification and each patent is sent to a different “art center” for examination, and it helps significantly to know exactly which art center your invention would likely be in.